William “Billy” E. Stone Jr. “Goat” of Long Branch, NJ passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Friday, June 16, 2023.
Goat, as he was affectionately known to family and friends, was born to Willie May West and William E. Stone Sr. on March 5, 1946, in Washington, DC. The first of 12 children. Willie married Jesse Jones in 1953 and relocated the family to Laurel, MD.
Billy attended Ann Arundel County Public Schools. He completed his education at the Kinlely Tech in Washington, DC. As a boy, Billy found his passion while working as a horse walker in Laurel, MD. His employment with trainer Bosa Bonds afforded him the opportunity to travel to FL and NJ.
He was a NJ resident for over 57 years. In April 1967, he married Darlene Hicks and from that union they had two children, Celestine “Tina” & William “Bugzie” Stone.
Goat was a diehard Dallas Cowboy fan! He played softball for the Monmouth Parke Bill Fromer Bowling League & Monmouth Park Softball for over 30 years along with many other organizations. He was a player as well as a coach for many years.
In October 1995, he married the love of his life, Kim Ficklin. The life they lived together was incased in family, friends, horse racing, football, bowling, softball, tennis, and Love. Not to mention his Fireball & Budweiser!
He was a member of Second Baptist Church of Long Branch and after Covid he attended the McLaughlin Pentecostal Faith Church.
Goat is predeceased by his parents, Willie May West and William E. Stone Sr., stepfather, Jesse Jones, son William E. Stone III, brother, Kenny Jones, sister, Karen Jones-Johnson, Aunt Doris & Uncle Steven Thomas, and Uncle Lawrence Lee.
Left to cherish his memory are wife, Kim Ficklin-Stone; daughter, Celestine Woods (Wallace); grandchildren, Anthony Stone (Jaclyn), Jeianeira Woods and Messiah Woods; two great-grandchildren, Nevaeh Stone and Hudson Stone; ten siblings, Barbra Stone, Audrey Garnett (William “Buzzy”), Beatrice Brown (Tyrone), Jesse Jones III (Adrianne), James Jones, Darrinita Johnson, Stanley Jones (Linda), Gale Jones (Clyde “Crummy”), Glenda Jones (Michael), and Karla Maker (William “Bill”); aunt Elmira Lee (Lawrence); in-laws, Diane Mosely (Cliff), Pearl Blakeley (Robert), and Curtis Ficklin; best friends Herman Dunnigan, Kenneth “Doc” William, Fredrick “Ricky” Smith and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins and friends.
